Beef Oxtail: The Secret to Rich, Slow-Cooked Comfort Food
Some cuts of beef are made for the grill. Oxtail is made for the pot. Cut from the tail, Beef Oxtail turns into one of the richest, most comforting dishes you can make at home once it's simmered low and slow. It's a small, affordable cut with an outsized payoff in flavor. What Is Beef Oxtail? Beef Oxtail is exactly what it sounds like: a cut taken from the tail of the animal. Frank's Butcher Shop describes it simply as a cut meant to add deep, rich flavor to stock or stews. This isn't a cut you cook quickly over high heat. Oxtail is built for long, slow cooking that breaks down the cut until the meat falls off the bone. Why Slow Cooking Is the Secret The magic of oxtail comes down to patience. Frank's own cooking guidance for this cut is to add it to soups and broths, then slow cook it down until the meat falls off the bone. As it simmers, the natural properties of the oxtail help thicken whatever soup or broth it's cooking in, giving the final dish a silky,...